Martin Lewis has issued a warning to everyone with unused Regal Mail starting time or second class stamps at home.

The financial guru urged viewers of The Martin Lewis Money Show Live to exchange whatsoever unused stamps they take lying effectually the business firm before they expire at the start of next twelvemonth.

From January 31, 2023, stamps with the Queen's head on them will be replaced by ones that comprise a barcode alongside it. The dominion change will also mean that seasonal stamps, such every bit the ones in circulation over Christmas, will no longer exist valid from that appointment.

However, an exception will exist fabricated for special commemorative stamps, such equally the ones establish in the Beatles, Rolling Stones, DC Comics, Curiosity and Doctor Who collections.

Martin told STV viewers: "Stamps that say first or 2d class on them - in fact all stamps unless they're those special ones like the Doctor Who ones - will be unusable past the cease of Jan 2023.

"Lots of people have stocked up on the start and 2d grade ones because I tell them to - when prices are going up y'all can buy lots of these and if they say 'outset' or 'second' even when the price goes upward, they're all the same valid."

He continued: "You need to exist enlightened and know nigh this rule alter."

The consumer champion went on to explain how from next calendar month, anyone who has whatsoever of these stamps will be able to swap them for the new barcoded versions.

This initiative, which Royal Mail has dubbed the 'Swap Out' scheme, will open from March 31, 2022 and will close on March 31, 2023.

To bandy them over, Martin explained: "You can become a form on the Royal Mail website or you can call it or go somewhere that has Royal Mail delivery, but bizarrely, y'all tin can't do information technology at the Mail Role - which I recall needs to change - so you lot need to postal service your tamps off and they'll send you replacements."

Royal Post hopes that the alter coming into strength adjacent yr will be a major shake up for security.

The barcodes are said to take 'boosted security features' that volition support efforts to improve the condom of the post that the firm handles.

All of the barcodes will have a 'digital twin' which tin be connected through the Royal Postal service app, but it will not allow people to runway their postal service.

Majestic Mail has already started phasing out non-barcoded stamps in shops and Post Offices across the UK.

File photo dated 27/03/12of first and second-class stamps at a Post Office in Overseal, Derbyshire, as the Royal Mail announced that first-class stamp prices will increase from 67p to 70p and second class from 58p to 61p from March 25. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Issue date: Friday February 22, 2019. The Royal Mail said its research showed that the average price of a 1st class stamp in Europe was 99p and 77p for 2nd class, adding that the UK has one of the highest quality of service specifications of any major European country. See PA story INDUSTRY Stamp. Photo credit should read: Rui Vieira/PA Wire

Royal Mail is phasing out first and second class stamps over the adjacent 11 months

Shops and Post Offices volition continue to use the current stamps until they eventually run out of stock and are replaced by the new ones.

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